


Kal-toh: Seeds of Order; A Garak/Bashir Mystery Prequel

by LaDemonessa



Series: The Garak/Bashir Mysteries [6]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: M/M, The Garak/Bashir Mysteries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-12
Updated: 2014-07-12
Packaged: 2018-02-08 14:16:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1944294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaDemonessa/pseuds/LaDemonessa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The events in this story take place two years before The Cheap Date<br/>and Sinless: A Garak and Bashir Mystery.</p><p>Garak has one last passionate encounter with his Vulcan lover, a silk merchant, and they discuss the possibility of him having a relationship with Dr. Bashir when he's gone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kal-toh: Seeds of Order; A Garak/Bashir Mystery Prequel

Kal-toh: Seeds of Order  
A Garak/Bashir Mystery Prequel  
by JA Chapman (cjjingram@wildblue.net)

\---

The events in this story take place two years before The Cheap Date  
and Sinless: A Garak and Bashir Mystery.

 

\---

Garak sat on the bench at the center of the Promenade and waited  
patiently for Sek to arrive. Every two months on the exact same day at  
the exact same time, the young Vulcan met Garak here, his sample case  
in hand, and after they conducted their business they would retire to  
his quarters for a sexual rendezvous followed by a game of kal-toh.  
There was no intimacy in their relationship, no emotion, merely a  
mutual need to release sexual tension. The arrangement suited Garak  
well. Frankly, he had no desire to fall in love with anyone, he just  
wanted sex without the complication of emotional attachment. Sek, his  
Vulcan associate, desired the same thing so for the last year or so  
they had become lovers but in only the most physical sense of the  
word.

"Garak?"

The tailor looked up to see the Station's handsome young physician  
looking down at him curiously. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, doctor. Why do you ask?"

Julian shrugged and sat down beside him on the bench, "I just stopped  
by your shop and noticed you had closed it for the day. I thought you  
might be ill or something."

"Not at all," Garak said, putting aside his PADD. "In fact, I make a  
habit of shutting the shop down every couple of months and taking the  
weekend off. Is there something you needed?"

"No, no!" Julian said quickly, "I just stopped by to ask if you wanted  
to go out to dinner with me tonight. I had plans, but they fell  
through and I thought you might find yourself at loose ends this  
evening as well. I mean, I know you don't really have that many  
friends on the station. It would do you some good to get out of your  
rut every once in a while."

Garak tried to keep his tone light and his expression relaxed. Julian  
Bashir, a man he had been attracted to since they had first met almost  
three years ago was brilliant, handsome, and more than a little  
socially inept. He reminded himself that the doctor, in his own way,  
was trying to be polite. "Actually doctor, I have dinner plans for the  
evening but thank you for the offer."

"Come on, Garak," Julian said with a slightly patronizing smile,  
"Sitting at home with a book doesn't count as dinner plans."

What an aggravating young man, Garak thought to himself. Why he felt  
any attraction toward the insufferable human was beyond him, "I'm  
meeting a friend actually. He should be here any moment in fact."

"Oh. A friend," Julian said slyly. "I see."

Garak had the distinct impression that Dr. Bashir thought he was  
lying. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he said, "Yes. A friend. We meet  
here whenever he finds himself in this sector and have dinner together  
after we discuss business."

"He's a tailor then?" The doctor asked.

"A salesman," Garak answered.

"Another Cardassian perhaps?"

"Actually, he's Vulcan," Garak felt himself becoming somewhat peeved  
by the doctor's questions. "Am I being interrogated, doctor?"

"Interrogated?" The doctor's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Of course  
not, I was merely curious. I didn't mean to offend you."

"You didn't," Garak said simply, picking up his PADD again. "Perhaps  
some other time when I don't have plans we'll go to dinner, all right  
doctor?"

Instead of taking the hint, the young man remained seated, "So what  
does this Vulcan sell?"

Garak took a deep, calming breath, "Silk."

He nodded, "Do you do a lot of business with him?"

"Quite a bit, actually," he turned to the younger man. "Have you tried  
asking Lieutenant Dax if she'd be interested in having dinner with you  
this evening?"

"She's who cancelled on me," the doctor said morosely.

"What about Constable Odo?"

"Odo? He doesn't even eat."

"Major Kira then?"

"I think I irritate her."

We have something in common, then. "Chief O'Brien? Isn't his wife on  
Bajor this month?"

"That's a thought," Julian said and looked around. "I just saw him a  
few minutes ago-Chief!"

Garak looked up to see the station's Chief of Engineering heading  
their way. Oh bother, he thought. Now I have to put up with both of  
them.

"Hello Julian, Garak," he nodded as he approached the two men. "Did  
you need something?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted to have dinner tonight?" The  
doctor smiled, "I figured we could go somewhere and catch a bite then  
maybe head over to Quarks after for a round of darts?"

"Sounds good," O'Brien nodded. "Are you joining us, Garak?"

Garak opened his mouth to refuse but Bashir cut him off, "Yes, and  
he's bringing a Vulcan friend of his along."

"Vulcan, huh?" O'Brien rocked on his heels a little and rubbed his  
hands together in anticipation, "They can play a mean game of darts,  
all that hand/eye coordination and stuff. Should prove right  
challenging!"

"Actually, Chief-"

"Garak?"

The three men turned to look at the young, dark skinned man who was  
watching their exchange calmly, "I was under the impression that we  
were dining alone tonight."

"We...are," Garak arose from the bench and turned from Sek to the two  
humans, "Dr. Bashir, Chief O'Brien, this is Sek, my business  
associate." He nodded at the large case sitting on the ground beside  
Sek, "Is that the new material I ordered?"

"It is," Sek bowed his head in acquiescence. "Shall we retire to your  
shop to examine the merchandise before dinner?"

"That sounds good," Garak said hurriedly, "Doctor, Chief-if you'll  
excuse us-"

"Say...don't I know you?" O'Brien said looking the young man in the  
eye, "You're Tuvok's son, right?"

"Professor Tuvok? From the Academy?" Julian arose quickly from his  
seat. "I remember now! You're here because of....oh."

Sek nodded slightly, "Yes, I come to the station regularly to see if  
they've uncovered any new evidence related to the disappearance of  
Voyager."

"And have they?" Julian asked.

"I regret to say, no." Sek's dark eyes appeared unperturbed by both  
the question and the answer.

"You know, your old man ran me ragged back when he came to the  
Enterprise and did that training seminar on tactics and security for  
all the enlisted men," O'Brien chuckled. "You and Garak really need to  
join us for dinner tonight. I could tell you some stories about your  
dad, and I'm willing to bet Julian here could do the same. You had him  
in the Academy, right?"

"I did, in fact! You should come to dinner tonight," the doctor  
nodded. "Please, join us, really. Your father was one of my favorite  
instructors."

"I'm afraid that Mr. Garak and I have business to discuss and have  
made alternate plans for our evening. Perhaps some other time."

Garak smiled slightly and turned to the two men, "Gentlemen."

Garak led Sek to his shop and entered his security code. He didn't  
bother to look over toward the Chief and the doctor who were  
undoubtedly talking about the Voyager tragedy. Humans were very  
predictable that way.

Sek set the large case down and opened it, lifting a heavy bolt of  
fine, black Vulcan silk effortlessly. "Will this suit your needs?"

"It's beautiful," Garak nodded and unlocked a storage case on the  
wall, motioning Sek to place it inside. He hadn't washed his hands and  
he didn't want to risk getting any oils on the fine material. "And the  
color is able to shift, you said?"

"Yes," Sek drew a small device which looked similar to a tailor's  
sizer out of the case. "After you cut the material, press the tip of  
this device to a color chip or scan through the codes until you find  
the shade you require and touch it to the cloth. The metal filaments  
woven into the silk will heat up until the correct shade is achieved.  
Make sure not to leave it on the bolt when you do this though or it  
will all be transformed. Once the color sets, the effect is  
permanent."

"Very clever," Garak said approvingly. "However, this is far more  
material than I had purchased."

"A gift," Sek bowed his head.

Garak smiled and touched the Vulcan's cheekbone, "Thank you, my  
friend. Although you have already been very generous, both in the  
discounts you have given me and in your companionship."

Sek raised his dark gaze to Garak's and said softly, "My friend, I am  
giving you this gift because we will not be seeing one another again  
after tonight."

The Cardassian's face fell, "Oh?"

"I must return to Vulcan and prepare for my marriage," he said without  
acknowledging Garak's obvious disappointment. "I will not be returning  
to Deep Space Nine. They have officially listed my father and his  
shipmates as missing and presumed dead. As such, it is now my duty to  
act as the patriarch of my clan and aid my mother in raising my  
brothers and sisters. My betrothed is even now making the preparations  
for our joining."

"You're leaving tomorrow, then?" Garak asked, trying to keep the  
disappointment out of his voice.

"Yes, but we have tonight." Sek drew Garak forward until their  
foreheads touched. "Shall we go up to your quarters, then?"

"I would be honored," Garak said warmly.

 

 

 

 

 

2 ---

They entered Garak's quarters without speaking. They had no need to  
talk, this was something they had done many times before. Sek walked  
into Garak's bedroom and began to disrobe, taking off his clothing  
slowly before folding them neatly. Garak began to disrobe as well,  
eyeing the sleek young Vulcan's body with appreciation. His skin was  
dark, like Captain Sisko's, but with a more chocolate undertone. Every  
muscle on his body was defined and disciplined, and as he bent over to  
undo his boots, Garak watched the muscles in his thighs and buttocks  
flex under his tight fitting trousers. After placing his shoes and  
socks aside, he removed his pants and underwear and placed them on the  
bureau along with the rest of his clothing. The tailor felt his breath  
catch. So lovely, he thought. The Vulcan's penis was of an adequate  
size, lying against his thigh and surrounded by tight black curls of  
hair which the Cardassian knew from experience were lightly scented  
with Vulcan essential oils and Sek's own musk. Garak finished  
undressing and moved toward him, keeping his face expressionless and  
his gait smooth. Sek did not appreciate overemotional or hurried  
lovers. He had chosen Garak precisely because he was so disciplined  
mentally.

Sek reached out and touched Garak's face lightly, "It is good to see  
you like this again, my companion."

"I have missed you," Garak said in the same tone, raising his textured  
fingertips to Sek's temple.

The ceremony was complete. Sek brushed his lips against Garak's.  
Opening his mouth slightly, the Vulcan licked Garak's bottom lip until  
the tailor opened his mouth to receive him. Garak felt his cock swell  
and harden as Sek stepped forward, pressing their hips together.

Vulcans have little need for foreplay, but Sek was a considerate  
lover. He kissed Garak's cheeks and moved lower to lick and suck at  
the whorls and embellishments on his chest. He brushed his thumb  
across Garak's nipple, causing the older man to gasp then took it into  
his mouth teasingly. Garak resisted the urge to pull Sek toward him,  
instead he waited and was soon rewarded for his restraint.

Sek slowly dropped to his knees and began to lick and tease Garak's  
glans with his tongue before reaching for his cock and drawing it into  
his hot mouth. In and out, he played with Garak until the older man  
was panting with need. The hand on his cock flexed and tightened each  
time Sek used his tongue to tease his slit and he made soft noises of  
approval as Garak began to leak droplets of precum onto his talented  
tongue.

"May we...take this to my bed?" Garak asked balling his hands into  
fists as he struggled with the urge to thrust forward into the  
Vulcan's mouth.

"Do you wish for me to enter you, my companion?" Sek asked, removing  
his mouth from Garak's member and glancing upward.

"I do," Garak said softly, gasping as Sek gave him one final squeeze.

"Lie on the bed," he ordered and Garak obeyed. He made sure to move  
slowly, elegantly. From the appreciative glance Sek bestowed upon him,  
Garak knew it was the right course of action.

The young Vulcan moved to the bedside table and removed a small  
covered bowl from the drawer. When he opened it, the scent of rich,  
fragrant oils filled the room. Sek nodded in approval, "You prepared  
for my coming."

"Naturally," Garak nodded, watching him dip his fingers in the oil and  
coat his hardness with it thoroughly.

"Vulcan oils of this quality come at a dear price. I'm surprised you  
could find them here."

"I have a contact on the station," Garak said. "Morn is very good at  
getting me what I require without asking questions."

"It is an appreciated gesture on your part, companion," Sek nodded as  
he gave the contents one last sniff. "Your other lovers must enjoy it  
as well."

Garak smiled slightly, "You know I have no other lovers, Sek. You're  
the only man to grace my bed in almost four years."

"So you have told me before, but you also know I must move on, Garak,"  
Sek said conversationally as he joined the tailor on the bed and moved  
between his thighs. "It would cause me much regret if I were to leave  
believing you had no one to take my place."

Garak gasped as he felt Sek's fingers enter him, but he answered as  
calmly as he could, "I have no need for another lover right now. Our  
night together will be sufficient enough for a time and," Garak bit  
his lip as Sek inserted a third finger inside of him and began to saw  
them back and forth in a slow fucking motion, "I'm sure another  
companion will make himself or herself available to me."

"You are a remarkable man, companion," Sek said, placing his cock at  
Garak's entrance. "Too remarkable for these humans and Bajorans to  
appreciate. Your mind is so much more ordered than theirs." He pushed  
forward and entered him, causing Garak to catch his breath and moan as  
the friction from Sek's cock caused waves of pleasure to flow through  
him. "Your body is so willing to accept pleasure this evening." He  
played with Garak's nipples, his expression as distant as it would  
have been were he merely adjusting a machine or talking about the  
weather, but Garak knew how passionate the young man could be despite  
his emotional control. He felt him push inside deeper and Garak lifted  
his thighs and scooted toward him, the motion of his hips causing a  
flicker of pleasure to alight in his lover's eyes. Sek gasped, "I find  
this encounter to be very pleasing already."

"And speaking of your pleasure, will your wife prove an adequate  
replacement for me?" Garak asked, reaching to Sek to run his hands  
over his muscular backside.

"She will," Sek shut his eyes and thrust harder, his breathing  
becoming rough.

"Have you...fucked her yet?"

If Sek objected to the vulgarity of the question, he did not  
acknowledge it, "I have not, but I assume she has taken other lovers  
before me. It does not matter, one body is the same as another. The  
bond is what matters," he opened his eyes and looked at Garak  
intently, "Forgive me if I appear sentimental, Garak, but there is  
only one thing I regret never doing with you."

Garak moaned and met the thrust of Sek's hips as he rubbed with  
infuriating slowness over his prostate, "Yes, my friend?"

"I never touched your mind," He said, kissing his mouth and gripping  
Garak's hips so he could control the movement of their bodies.

The Cardassian gave in to the Vulcan's strength and allowed himself to  
merely enjoy the rush of endorphins their joining released in him.  
Their tongues battled in sensual combat as Sek began to fuck Garak  
harder and harder until his orgasm began to build. "I-I'm going to  
come," he moaned.

"Then come," Sek whispered against his mouth, his eyes watching Garak  
as the Cardassian's face twisted in pleasure. "I will join you."

Garak groaned as the orgasm built in his testicles then released  
itself in a sensual explosion. He felt Sek's hot seed flood inside of  
him as he gripped his shoulders roughly and shuddered.

The two men breathed harshly against one, embracing tenderly, then  
separated. Sek lay on his back and Garak willed his breathing to slow.

"Join me in the shower?" Sek invited.

 

 

Garak looked at him and nodded, following the young man into the small  
bathroom. Sek turned on the tap and tested the warm rush of the sonics  
with his finger tips before stepping inside. Garak entered a second  
later, reaching for the gel, and began to coat his companion's body.  
"I will miss this," he said softly.

"As will I," Sek agreed, kissing him and smoothing the gel over  
Garak's textured chest.

Garak turned around and allowed the sonics to wash over his face as  
Sek washed his back, "You will not be returning after tonight ever  
again?"

"No," Sek answered quietly. "Voyager is lost and my mother has told me  
she no longer requires me to travel to the sector on her behalf.  
Besides, it is not logical for me to continue to sell cloth this far  
away from my normal route, despite our relationship."

Garak turned and took the gel from Sek's hands and began to wash the  
Vulcan's cock with slick fingers, "And sex? You will be faithful to  
your bondmate?"

"To do otherwise would be illogical," Sek said simply, despite his  
hardening erection. "The release of sexual tension is a biological  
function, and is not dependant on emotions. As long as Aliana is  
willing to join with me there is no need to take any other lovers."

"Will she be willing?" Garak asked.

"She must for the first bond, after that it will be her choice," Sek  
lifted his eyebrow questioningly. "Are you asking me to continue our  
sexual relationship, Garak?"

Garak looked at him carefully, then dropped his eyes, "No, not at all.  
I was merely curious."

The tone of Sek's voice indicated he didn't quite believe him.  
"Vulcans practice monogamy. If the bond between us should fail, there  
is a possibility of divorce, but I could not bond with you in any  
case, Garak. Although you are physically strong enough and I find you  
to be my equal in intelligence, your mind will not accept the meld  
which is necessary for the pon farr."

Garak rinsed himself off and stepped out of the shower, reaching for a  
towel. He scrubbed it over his body roughly, and nodded at his  
companion, "I know and I would not ask you to try to do otherwise.  
After all, that is one of the reasons you chose me as a sexual  
partner, is it not?"

"It is indeed," Sek said shutting off the sonics and stepping out of  
the shower. He took a thick, white towel from Garak and rubbed the  
remaining gel from his shoulders. "That does not mean I would not like  
to see inside of your mind now. As time has passed, I have learned to  
appreciate your intellect and your mental stamina. If I thought I  
could bond with you, believe me, I would try."

Garak stumbled a little in surprise, "You would want that?"

"I have great...affection for you," Sek said reaching out for Garak's  
cheek and looking down at him with a soft expression. "You should get  
away from this station, Garak. Your discipline and mental prowess  
would make you welcome on any of the Vulcan moons. You have proven to  
be an apt pupil in regards to Vulcan meditation."

"The meditation has helped," he said, placing his hand over the young  
man's. "Still, the loneliness can be overwhelming. I've considered  
leaving but..."

"But?" Sek asked, his eyes dancing with something akin to amusement.

"I have other obligations which keep me here."

Garak walked into the bedroom and put on his robe then got out the  
kal-toh board, placing it on the small table in the corner. Sek joined  
him, his towel wrapped around his waist and sat in his usual chair,  
"The darker human on the Promenade, that was your Doctor Bashir,  
correct?"

"It was," Garak said, settling himself and turning on the game. He  
watched as the jumble of silver pieces coalesced into an orb and  
pulled out the first piece. "However, he isn't 'my' anything, he's  
merely the doctor."

"But you would like to pursue a relationship with him." It wasn't a  
question.

Garak sighed as the shape changed again with Sek's move, "I don't  
suppose there is any point to denying it, is there?"

"There is not," Sek said. He smiled slightly as Garak made his move,  
"You've been practicing, I see."

"I know you appreciate a challenge," the tailor bowed his head  
slightly.

"And do you appreciate a challenge?" Sek asked enigmatically.

"Not when it comes to Julian Bashir," Garak grumbled.

"I think you are lying to yourself, companion," Sek said archly. "The  
doctor appears to be interested in you. I think he would make you an  
adequate sexual partner."

"He's not interested, believe me," Garak said, then grimaced as he  
realized he made a mistake in which piece he chose.

Sek noticed his error but said nothing, "He invited you to dine with  
him, did he not?"

"He was at loose ends and I was all he could come up with," he  
responded, then pulled another piece which changed the arrangement of  
the sphere again. "We dine together regularly. There is no intimacy  
involved."

"There is little 'intimacy' between us, companion," Sek corrected him.  
"You are attracted to the doctor or else he would not distract you so.  
He would be a logical mate for you."

"Why do you say that? You don't even know him," the tailor remarked as  
he watched Sek make a tricky move.

"You've spoken of him before," he said simply. "I may not understand  
the depth of emotion non-Vulcans feel, but I can recognize it when I  
see it. You have an ordered mind, Garak, but you also have an  
expressive face."

"Julian Bashir is trouble," Garak retorted. "The last thing I need is  
more problems in my life. I've finally begun to settle in here, I  
certainly don't need to complicate my life by bedding a naive,  
socially incompetent human who could easily bring down the wrath of  
this station's captain upon my head, no matter how handsome he might  
be."

"Remember what I told you about kal-toh, companion? About what the  
game was really about?"

"Something about bringing order among chaos," Garak said as he plucked  
out another small metal rod and replaced it so the shape changed  
again.

"I told you that kal-toh is not about striving for balance but about  
finding the seeds of order even in the midst of profound chaos," Sek  
corrected him gently. "You want balance, but you will never find  
amongst these aliens, you can only seek order. The doctor is offering  
his companionship to you, whether you recognize it or not. These  
humans are not like us, my friend. They do not understand how to  
balance subtlety and directness. He is young enough to be educated and  
old enough to act as your equal in bed. His mind is adequate or he  
would not hold such a respected position and his beauty is sufficient  
enough to keep you occupied. If his emotions are the chaos you wish to  
avoid, then allow him to mature and then take him to your bed.  
Cardassians are a hearty race and you have many more years ahead of  
you in which you can remain virile and sexually active. With patience  
comes reward."

Garak placed his hands on his knees and looked up at Sek, "Forgive me,  
my friend, but isn't my abhorrence for messy emotional complications  
the reason you invited me to sleep with you to begin with?"

Sek nodded sagely, "That and the fact that you are mature enough to  
recognize sex for what it is. Humans, particularly females, have an  
unsettling habit of equating sex with love. I have lain with a few and  
it has never managed to satisfy me enough to cope with the aftermath  
of such an illogical choice in bedmate. This Bashir, however, looks  
and sounds like someone you could lose yourself in. You are not Vulcan  
so emotion is a natural part of your being. Besides, my friend, I know  
you have a taste for dark skin and ordered minds."

"His flesh may be pleasing, but his mind is hardly ordered," Garak  
snorted. "He's a brilliant idiot. A man who has no clue about social  
convention or discipline. He goes about with his wide brown eyes blind  
to anything he doesn't recognize as fair and righteous. He doesn't  
know about the harsher aspects of life, and I'm too far gone to bother  
with teaching him. I'd probably just destroy him in the process."

"Many would say our joining defies the conventions of logic," Sek took  
another piece and Garak saw that the game was quickly coming to a  
close. "A Vulcan who regularly mates with a Cardassian-a member of a  
race known for their savage rape of Bajor? Many would counsel me to  
abandon our friendship had I made it common knowledge. However, I have  
learned through our association not to confuse the politics of your  
people with who you are, nor do I confuse who you are now with what  
you may have done in the past. I take you simply as you are."

"That's fine, but Bashir is his people," Garak said, taking another  
piece from the board. "He is everything the Federation stands for;  
open-minded to the point of idiocy, kind to the point of cruelty, and  
oblivious to any moral standards which do not coincide with his own.  
I'm not afraid of teaching him, I'm afraid of allowing him so close  
that he'd destroy me utterly. The last thing I need to do is fall in  
love with a man twenty years my junior who will eventually skip off  
with my heart in his grip for the first available female he meets. He  
gets under my skin far too easily as it is now."

"Love is the most dangerous of all emotions," Sek agreed, pulling his  
piece and ending the match. "It welcomes in all the other destructive  
feelings of hatred, jealousy, and despair. For a Vulcan, such a  
prospect would be unacceptable, but you, my friend, are not a Vulcan.  
If you are to survive your exile, you must seek to create your own  
order."

"I survived before you met me, Sek, and I will survive once you  
leave," Garak said, not unkindly as he shut off the board and rose  
from his chair. "If I require a sexual companion I will find someone  
else, or I will go to the holosuites and rent one for an hour or two.  
As you said, the release of sexual tension does not require an  
emotional commitment."

Sek got up and held his hand out, "Come then, let us continue our  
evening together. As this is our last night, we should strive to make  
the most of it."

Garak walked into the tall Vulcan's embrace and allowed himself to  
melt a little as Sek captured his mouth. Deciding then to allow  
himself just a little insanity he pretended it wasn't the Vulcan's  
arms embracing him, but a young, tan-fleshed doctor with dark eyes and  
a soft, open smile.

He kept his eyes closed throughout the passion encounter indulging in  
the fantasy even when Sek entered him again, sliding in and out until  
they both found oblivion. After they cleaned the evidence of their  
encounter off of their bodies and went back to bed, he listened as Sek  
began to breath deeply and evenly beside him on the hard mattress. His  
arm was draped around Garak's waist as he spooned against him, and  
Garak leaned into him, absorbing the Vulcan's heat. He ran his fingers  
down Sek's arm and breathed in the scents of their lovemaking which  
blended with the Vulcan essential oils that had soaked into the soft,  
Bajoran cotton sheets. He pulled the covers up higher and enjoyed this  
last stolen moment with Sek. No, he decided, despite his attraction to  
the human he wouldn't invite in the madness that was Julian Bashir. It  
was far too complicated and dangerous to try. He would merely make do  
with fantasies and holographic shadows. Perhaps he'd even manage to  
find another human who had no objection to taking a Cardassian to bed  
or he could slip a few strips of latinum into the greedy fist of a  
Bajoran rent boy with dark hair and eyes. He'd done it before. After  
he first met the doctor, he had found that there were always Bajorans  
who needed money more than they needed their prejudices.

Loneliness could be overcome, sex could be bought, but love could be  
deadly, especially to a man like Garak. He'd only loved two other  
people in his life; one nearly killed him and the other wound up  
getting him exiled. Doctor Bashir was a temptation he didn't need. He  
wasn't a gambler, he was a survivor, and the reward wasn't worth the  
potential cost.

But still, even as he slipped into sleep, Julian's face haunted him.

That night he dreamed of a lilting voice and low heady laughter, and  
the smell that he recognized as belonging only to Julian Bashir.

\---

The End


End file.
